


Look How Far We've Come

by this_is_not_nothing



Category: Schitt's Creek (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M, and being in love, on the road
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:41:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26929825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/this_is_not_nothing/pseuds/this_is_not_nothing
Summary: For the prompt "Dan takes off for a month to be a Noah Reid “groupie”
Relationships: Dan Levy/Noah Reid
Comments: 26
Kudos: 55





	Look How Far We've Come

**Author's Note:**

  * For [popfly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/popfly/gifts).



> Happy one year to my ✨OT3✨
> 
> My DMs—and well actually, my whole life is better with Gray and Liz in it, you guys are the very best.
> 
> Thanks to Gray and Neely for the validation and Gray for the beta 💖💖

Noah snuggles in closer to Dan’s side, his hair smells like citrusy pine and his stubble is just present enough for Dan to feel when Noah nuzzles against his chest. Dan traces loopy circles across his husband’s shoulders, feeling fucked out and happy.

“I don’t want to leave you for a month again,” Noah whispers against his chest. Noah just got home from three weeks on the road, and the next round of touring for his new album starts in twelve days.

“What if—what if you didn’t have to?”

Noah picks his head up and he looks sad. “You know I have to, we can’t cancel now.”

“No, I meant—what if… what if I came with you? I hated being here without you and I don’t need to be on set for six weeks for that pilot and—what if I came with you?”

“Can you do that? Yes, yes, yes.” Noah's eyes are shiny and happy as he leans up and kisses Dan, both of them smiling too much.

✨✨

Noah steps on stage and Dan swears his heart skips a beat. It’s so silly after all these years, but the way Noah looks under the lights, his sleeves pushed up, looking both sure and tentative as he stands in front of the microphone. Dan’s been to enough of Noah’s shows that it shouldn’t make him quite so breathless to see Noah glowing under the spotlights.

“Hi—hello. Boston! Excited to be here.” Noah scans the crowd until he finds Dan, all the way over to the side with Cortney from Baseline, who has managed to make it a non-story for Dan to be at these shows.

Noah looks right at Dan with a small, private smile on his face. “Means a lot to have you here with me.”

It’s the kind of sincerity Noah has mastered—making something for Dan alone sound like a warm greeting to the crowd. Dan pulls out his phone to take a photo, because Noah looks great but also because Dan knows he’ll be flustered.

Sure enough, Noah shakes his head, looking down for a second and scuffing his toe on the stage. He looks back up, giving Dan a horrific yet adorable wink before refocusing his attention front and center. “Well, these songs aren’t gonna play themselves. Shall we?”

✨✨

Noah kisses Dan good-bye, quick on the mouth, then a second, more lingering kiss on his forehead. “I’ll see you later. You’re both on the list, and so is Michael.”

They’re staying with Trevor while they’re in New York, which was Noah’s idea and it’s been a real treat to spend a few days with one of his oldest friends. Noah’s playing two nights at the Bowery Ballroom and he has to head in for an early sound check.

“Marriage looks good on you,” Trevor observes. “How’s life on the road?”

Dan doesn’t even try to stop the smile that breaks across his face. “Better than being home without him.”

✨✨

This is becoming Dan’s favorite part of the show, when Noah’s nerves finally settle and his hair starts to return to it’s natural unruly state despite the best efforts of every hair product Noah has tried. They joke all the time that continuity-wise it was a happy accident Noah’s hair was so short back when they did Schitt’s Creek. Noah’s glowing on the stage, his forearms flexing, his foot stomping, singing “'Cause you got an artistry that I've never seen before.”

A million nights ago, cocooned in blankets and kisses, Noah admitted that line—the whole song really— was about Dan, and to watch Noah sing it in a room full of strangers makes Dan feel unbearably seen, even after all these years.

When the final notes fade, Noah spins his wedding band, and Dan can’t help but twist the matching band on his finger. Noah tells the crowd, “That one’s a little old, but holds a special place in my heart.”

✨✨

The bus vibrations under them are better than any white noise machine Dan’s ever had. He drops his head onto Noah’s shoulder, and Noah wraps an arm around him and pulls him even closer. They stayed up too late last night, taking each other apart with their hands and putting each other back together with their mouths, taking advantage of room service champagne and crisp white sheets and being far from home but celebrating being together.

Noah’s talking to Matt about changing the set order slightly, and picking up the tempo on one of the new songs, and Dan’s closes his eyes, letting the sound of Noah’s voice wash over him. Noah tugs him down, until he’s laying on the sofa, his head resting in Noah’s lap. Noah runs his fingers softly through Dan’s hair and Dan is only distantly aware of Matt’s answers.

Noah says something about adding a cover, and Dan tries to listen, but Noah’s hands are gentle in his hair and he’s too comfortable and warm and happy. He gives in and drifts off as they head south.

✨✨

Noah holds up a fork and Dan obediently opens his mouth, and is rewarded with a bite of the best mac and cheese he’s ever had. Dan spent the entire ten hour ride from DC to Nashville checking email, napping on Noah and exhaustively researching the best hot chicken place to try.

“God this is amazing.” Dan takes another bite of his chicken, which is just on the edge of too hot but amazingly worth the discomfort.

“This is—this is really good. I’ve never even heard of this place the other times we’ve played here,” Noah says.

“Good thing you have me this time,” Dan teases.

“Might’ve starved otherwise.” Noah winks, the way he always does, passable at best while still being the most charming.

“You know, if you had framed this as a chance to eat across America with you, I might have joined you sooner.” Dan takes a big bite of Noah’s mac and cheese to prove his point.

Noah shakes his head and laughs. “I wish I had—it’s really nice having you with me instead of talking to you in my phone.”

“Sometimes that’s fun.” Dan gives a little shimmy.

Noah hooks his foot around Dan’s ankle. “This is more fun.”

✨✨

Ohio proves to be a mixed bag, food-wise, with some of the weirdest spaghetti and best ice cream Dan’s ever had. Noah’s really settling into this tour, Dan can see it in each city. Noah’s a little more confident, a little more playful, a little—well a lot—sexier. In Cincinnati, he wears a perfectly fitted navy button down and in Cleveland, a black Henley so tight Dan spent the entire show fantasizing about biting his nipples through the fabric. When they’re finally alone it tastes like cotton and sweat and the beer Noah spilled on himself.

Tonight they're in Asheville and Noah’s wearing a soft charcoal v-neck sweater, singing about how much he hates LA, the same city they’ve happily spent half their marriage. Dan knows he’s going to follow it with Dan’s favorite song off the new album, the one about hope and a love so great it’s a golden tower of light. Sure enough Noah launches right into it with a smirk and Dan cheers loudly.

✨✨

Charlotte and Atlanta and Birmingham and Mobile pass in a blur of sameness. It’s the first time Dan gets why touring exhausts Noah—packing and unpacking, getting up early to sit in a bus all day, falling asleep in a new set of the same sheets. Falling asleep wrapped around Noah helps, but Dan misses their life—all the dumb details that seem small, like Noah making them eggs and taking Red for a long walk and the way Noah always falls asleep after dinner and pretends he was awake the whole time and the snoring was Redmond, who would never. They’ll be home soon though, and Dan doesn’t regret a single second of this adventure.

✨✨

The bar Noah dragged him too is dark and sort of grimy, the walls covered in photos and coasters and a not-so-fine layer of dust. Noah insisted they head straight here, said it’s always his first stop in New Orleans, regardless of time—which is how Dan ended up on a bar stool at 11 in the morning being handed a frozen Irish coffee.

Dan takes a cautious sip and—it’s really fucking good. “Noah—this is really fucking good.” It’s just frozen enough, and sweet with the exact right amount of coffee to balance it out.

Noah nods and takes a sip. “Right?” Noah is standing so close, in between Dan’s leg, and the stool makes them just about the same height. Noah slides a hand up his thigh and kisses him, lips chilly and sticky and sweet.

“After this, we should go grab a muffuletta and spend the day by the pool. Tomorrow we can sightsee if you want?”

Dan’s only had one once before, but it was very delicious, a huge circle loaf of Italian bread filled with meat and cheese and some salty perfect olive-type salad, and Dan very much wants to eat that poolside and enjoy being in one place for a few days. Packing up each morning to unpack in a different generic room each night is getting tiresome. “I didn’t pack a bathing suit.”

“I packed one for you. Those black ones I like.” Noah winks.

“Mmm, well. Okay then, sounds like we have a plan.” Dan leans in for another kiss.

✨✨

Texas is big—the last three shows of the last leg of the tour are here. Noah makes them all listen to some country song about wide open skies as they cross the border from Louisiana, crooning along dramatically until they’re all laughing.

Eventually Dan has to sneak off into the back of the bus to deal with some emails, and makes the mistake of getting way too comfortable on the long sofa back there. Noah comes to find him some time later, dropping a kiss on his forehead. “Here you are.”

“Just had some work stuff,” Dan says as an explanation, waving his phone.

Noah nods. “All done?”

“I am, for now.”

“Good. Make room for me.”

Dan rolls to his side, wiggling back into the sofa and Noah fits himself neatly into his arms, his back pressed into Dan’s chest. It makes Dan miss home, they specifically bought a sofa deep enough to fit them both like this.

Noah laces his fingers through Dan’s, placing a soft kiss to the back of Dan’s hand. “I’m so glad you came.”

“Me too,” Dan murmurs into the soft skin at the back of Noah's neck. “Me too.”

✨✨

Noah’s on stage in jeans and a black t-shirt, his forearms on display as he strums his way through the set. Dan can’t stop watching them flex under the stage lights. Noah stands up from the piano, wrapping two fingers around a bottle of Lone Star and when he tilts his head back to drink, Dan has flashbacks to last night in bed to the way Noah’s head was thrown back the same way as he cried out Dan’s name.

“Tonight’s our last night of our tour and we’ve had the best time playing these songs for you—especially you. To celebrate, we’ve prepared a special song for you tonight.” Noah’s voice takes on an edge of amused sincerity that Dan has long since learned means trouble. He whips his head to Cortney and she points back to the stage with a knowing smile.

Noah gets his guitar back on and is standing in the center of the stage, looking beautiful and radiant and Dan is in so much trouble. The song starts, strummy and slow, and Dan isn’t sure what it is and then Noah’s leaning toward the mic and starts singing, “Looks like we made it,” and Dan doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. He ends up shaking his head and covering his mouth, he can feel the tears in his eyes. It’s so much—of course Noah would take Shania and turn into a spectacularly beautiful, stripped down version for Dan. He can’t help but sing along with, “But just look at us holding on, we're still together still going strong,” just like they do it in the car. He’s pretty sure Courtney is taking a video for Noah but he can’t look away from his ridiculous husband, on stage, singing his heart out.

✨✨

Dan wakes up under familiar sheets for the first time in a month, snuggled into Noah’s chest. Dan can tell it’s still early—too early—by the light in their room. Noah’s tracing slow, lazy circles on his shoulder, because of course he’s a wake. The time zone changes always hit him hard.

Dan wiggles, trying to get in closer, even though he’s already pressed against Noah. “Feels good to be in our bed.”

“It does. Felt good to have you out there with me though—thank you for that.”

“You—I should be thanking you. Thanks for letting me share that with you.”

Noah laughs, shaking under Dan. “You’re welcome for introducing you to the pleasure of driving hours and hours a day just for the privilege of performing.”

“You know what I mean.” Dan presses a kiss to Noah’s chest. “And thank you for the song.” Dan has to whisper the last part, it still makes him emotional that Noah and the guys secretly arranged that.

“Meant it—every word.” Noah’s voice catches for a split second before he continues. “Plus it’s not everyday I get to sing a song by a true Canadian diva.”

“Well, glad I was able to make that happen for you.” Dan giggles and leans up for a kiss, Noah’s mouth slow and sweet against his.

“I love you,” Noah murmurs.

“I know, I love you, too.” Dan kisses him again, and it feels like home.


End file.
